(iRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF 
CALIFORNIA 
SAN  DIEGO        i 


GRANDMA'S   MEMORIES 


BY  MARY  D.  BRINE 

Author  of  "Grandma's  Attic  Treasures" 


DEDICATED     TO     THOSE 

DEAR     ONES     WHOSE     FACES    ARE     TURNED 
TOWARD     THE     SUNSET 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW-YORK : 
E.   P.   BUTTON  AND   COMPANY 

31  \YEST  TWENTY-THIRD  STREET 
1888 


COPYRIGHT 
1888. 

E.     P.     DUTTON     &     CO. 


Produced  and  printed  by  Ernest  Nister  at  Nuremberg. 


LIST      OF      ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Frontispiece Walter  Pagcl 

"  Only  a  lullaby,  gentle  and  low" ,, 

"  Grandma's  a  maiden  " ,, 

"To  Grandma's  girl-life  comes  some  \voc  " ,, 

"  The  young  head  is  lain  " ,, 

"Grandma  now  is  a  bride" ,  ,, 

"  On  the  sunny  young  head  " ,, 

"  Soft  and  low  is  the  little  one's  breath  " ,, 

"Learns  that  sweet  lesson  so  old  and  so  new" ,, 

"  As  he  looks  in  my  face  " ,, 

"'Mid  the  farewells  that  are  merry,  yet  sad" ,, 

"On  Grandma's  thin  cheek  falls  a  kiss" ,, 

"Draws  near  the  old  chair,  and  sits  close  at  her  side"  .     .  ,, 

"The  gift  of  a  grandchild" ,, 

Headpiece — "Evening  and  the  Bells" A.    W.  Parsons 

Head  and  Tailpiece— Vignettes R.  A.  Bell 


GRANDMA'S 


MEMORIES, 


GRANDMA'S  MEMORIES. 


THE  mantle  of  evening  is  veiling  the  sky, 
And  over  the  landscape  its  soft  shadows  lie  ; 
The  old  year  is  passing,  a  new  year  will  reign, 
Ere  earth  shall  awaken  to  day-dawn  again. 


12  Grandmas    Memories. 

Dear  Grandma  has  folded  her  knitting  away, 

And  muses  alone  at  the  close  of  the  day  ; 

While  the  old  clock  ticks  solemnly  off,  one  bv  one, 

J 

The  moments  yet  left  to  the  year  almost  done. 

Out  from  the  shadows  fast  filling  the  room, 

Out  from  the  dying  year's  gathering  gloom, 

Many  sweet  pictures  of  past  happy  years 

Come  flitting  again  with  their  hopes  and  their  fears. 

On  the  broad  hearthstone  the  dull  embers  glow, 
The  old  year's  last  hours  are  quiet  and  slow  ; 
But  back  to  the  Past,  with  its  pleasures  and  pain— 
Of  the  Present  unmindful,  she  wanders  again. 

She  is  seeing  dear  faces,   and  clasping  the  hand 

Of  many  a  friend  in  the  shadowy  land, 

And  the  ghosts  of  old  years  she  has  watched  in  and  out, 

Come  forth  from  the  shadows  and  hedge  her  about. 


Gran  dm  as  Afc  m  o  r  ics . 

Hark  !     What  is  that  stealing  thro'  silence  and  gloom, 
To  fill  with  sweet  melody  Grandma's  lone  room  ? 
What  brings  that  fond   smile,  and  dispels  every  trace 
Of  sadness  and  tears  on  the  dear,  aged  face  ? 


"Only  a  lullaby,  gentle  and  low 


/  Grandma  s    Memories. 

Only  a  lullaby,  gentle  and  low, 

Which  a  mother,  while  rocking  her  babe  to  and  fro, 

Croons  over  and  over,  for  baby  alone, 

Till  far  into  dreamland  his  spirit  hath  flown. 


Only  the  lullaby  all  mothers  love, 

Listened  to  daily  by  angels  above  ; 

The  dear,  quaint  old  song  which  will  ever  seem  best 

To  sing  to  our  babies  and  lull  them  to  rest — 


The  Lnllabv. 


"Hush,   my    babe,   lie       still   and         shun-ber.       Ho  -  ly 


'  = 


an  -  gels       guard     thv        bed;     Heaven- ly..    bless  -  ings 


with-out        number     Gen  -  tly       fall     up    -  on        thy    head." 


Grandmd  s    Memories. 

Crooning  it  softly,  and  crooning  it  low, 

Rocking  and  nestling  with— "  By-baby-O  !  " 

Loving  the  melody  known  the  world  o'er, 

And  adding  sweet  words  that  our  baby  loves  more. 

So  sings  this  mother  to  baby  to-night, 
While  nearer  and  nearer  the  dream-angel  bright 
Is  hovering  'mid  shadows,  till  baby  ere  long 
Lies  slumbering,  and  hushed  is  the  lullaby  song. 

While  mother  takes  up  a  new  duty,  and  so 
From   one  to  another  will   busilv  go. 
But  the  dear  aged  heart  in  the  room  just  beyond, 
Still   lingers  and  rests  amid  memories  fond. 

The  strains  of  the  lullaby  bear  her  away 

O'er  the  lapse  of  long  years  to  her  own   childhood's  day  ; 

She  is   living  again   'neath   her  babyhood's  skies 

Where   sunshine   is  dancing  before   her  blue   eves. 


"Grandma's  a  maiden" 


Grandmas    Memories. 

She  sees  her  dear  mother,  and  hears  the  sweet  voice, 
Whose  fond,  tender  tones  made  her  young  heart  rejoice  ; 
She  climbs  to  the  arms  ever  patient  to  bear 
The  wee,  tired  toddler,  and  all  burdens  share. 

How  well  she  recalls  the  sweet  hour  of  rest, 
When  nestling  her  head  on  that  dear  mother's  breast, 
She  sank  into  slumber,  lulled  gently  and  low, 
By  the  strains  of  the  soft  old-time   lullaby-O  ! 

Again  does  she  listen  to  every  fond  word 
That  love  on  the  lips  of  the  singer  hath  stirred  ; 
The   "  By-oh,  my  baby  !  "  which  mother  knows  best, 
Will  comfort  and  soothe  the  young  child  to  its  rest 

And  Grandma  forgets  the  deep  lines  on  her  face, 
Which  tell   of  the  years — the  years  long  flown   apace  ; 
She  does  not  remember  that  Time  has  left  snow 
On  the  head  that  was  golden  so  long,  long  ago. 


J 


$ 


She  is  only  a  child 

as  she  listens  to-night— 
With  a  sense  of  the  old 

childish  rest  and  delight 
To  the  voice  of  the  mother 

who  so  long  ago 
Sat  singing  to  her 

in  the  firelight's   glow— 


By,       by,     O        ba    •     by!         ba         by  by  .   .       O! 


But  childhood  is  merged  into  girlhood  at  last, 
(The  sweet  years  of  "  baby-life  "  vanish  so  fast!) 
And  Grandma's  a  maiden,  so  dainty  and  fair, 
Of  girlhood's  bright  visions  content  with  her  share. 


Grandma  s     Memories. 


How  merrily  now  glide  the  hours  away  ! 

And  yet,  as  comes  oft  on  a  fair  Summer's  day, 

A  cloud  that  o'ershadows  its  fairness,  e'en  so 

To  Grandma's  girl-life  now  and  then  comes  some  woe. 


2o  Grandmas    Memories. 

To  grieve  and  to  wound  it,   and  hide  from  blue  eves 
The  still  deeper  blue  of  the  beautiful  skies  ; 
And  how  many  times,  just  for  comfort  and  rest, 
The  young  head  is  lain  upon  mother's  dear  breast  ! 

And  tho'  she's  no  longer  the   "  baby,"  yet  see, 
The   mother's  arms  clasp  her  all  pityingly, 
And  turning  once  more  to  the  "  lullaby-O  !  " 
She  sings  to  her  girl   all  so  sweetly  and  low, 

The  nursery  melody  known  the  world  o'er, 

As  she  soothes,   pets  and    comforts  the  young  heart  so  sore. 

Yes,  Grandma  is  only  a  young  girl   to-night, 

As  she  muses  alone  in  the  dim  firelight. 

•  *  *  * 

The  picture  has  changed,  Grandma  now  is  a  bride, 
The  choice  of  her  heart  proudly  stands  at  her  side  ; 
She  is  living  again  the  sweet  life  of  those  days 
When  she  first  knew  a  husband's  devotion   and  praise. 


'Grandma  now  is  a  bride" 


Grandmds    Memories. 

To  the  faded  old  cheek  springs  again  the  warm  blush, 
The  old  years  are  young  with  the  spring-time's  soft  flush, 
The  dear,  dim  blue  eyes  borrow  youth's  ardent  glow, 
As  fast  thro'  her  brain  old-time  memories  flow. 

But  ah  !     a  light  footstep  within  the  lone  room 

Hath  scattered  the  dream  ;    loving  eyes  pierce  the  gloom, 

A  lithesome  young  figure  at  Grandma's  side  kneels, 

A  firm  youthful   hand  into  Grandma's  hand  steals. 


•'Ah,  Grandma,  my  Grandma,  the  smile  on  your  face 
Is  proof  that  some  pleasure  has  there  left  its  trace  ; 
Now,   what  were  your  thoughts  ?    for  I   know  they  were   far 
Away  from  the   Present,   as  earth  from  yon  star  ? 

"My  baby  is  sleeping,   I've  nothing  to  do, 
Let  me   sit  in   the   gloaming,   dear  granny,   with  you  ; 
The   clock  will   soon   ring  us  the  hour  of  nine. 
Please  talk   to   me,  Grandma,   of  dear  auld   lang  syne." 


23 


Grandma  s    Memories. 


On  the  sunny  young  head  Grandma's  aged  hand  lies, 

As  she  meets  with  her  own  the  young  mother's  blue  eyes, 

For  dear  to  her  soul  is  this  grandchild  so  fair, 

Who  has  borrowed  her  youth  in  her  soft  eyes  and  hair. 


Gr a ndma  s     Mem o ries . 

"Ah,   child,  down  the  vista  of  'dear  auld  lang  syne,' 
Full  soon  will  the  torches  of  memory  shine 
For  you,  tho'   life's  summer  seems  scarcely  begun, 
And  your  head  is  yet  golden  'neath  morn's  golden  sun. 

"For  Time  flies  so  fast;   listen,  dearie,   I,  too, 
Feel  that  Summer  again.     A  young  mother  like  you, 
I  am  holding  my  baby  all  close  to  my  breast, 
And  with  the  old  lullabv  lull  her  to  rest. 

j 

''I   can  feel  once  again,  as  I  rock  to  and  fro, 
The  weight  of  the  dear  little  head.     Soft  and  low 
Is  the  little  one's  breath  on  the  cheek   which  I  press 
'Gainst  her  sweet  baby-lips  in  a  loving  caress— 

"As  I  sing  o'er  and  o'er  the  quaint  lullaby  song 
(That  will  never  grow  wearisome  tho'   life   be  long), 
And  watch  the  sweet  drowsiness  creeping  apace, 
Till  sleep  holds  the  wee  one  in  tender  embrace, 


'Soft  and  low  is  the  little  one's  breath" 


G  randnia  s     Mem  o  ries . 


"While  yet   I  am  crooning  so  softly  and  low — 


"  By,       by,    O        ba         by,         by,        by          ba      -      by 
Unheeding  the  moments  as  swiftly  they  fly,  with 


•? 
$ 


By,       by,    O        ba     -    by,  dear         ba-by        by. 

"Oh!    the  deep  peace  which   can   never  be  known, 
Can   never  be  felt,  save  by   '  mother '   alone  ! 
As  clasping,   and  folding,  so  close  to  her  heart, 
The  helpless  young  life  of  her  own  life  a  part — 

'She   dreams   as  she  sings,   of  a  future  so   fair, 
Awaiting  the   child  of  her  love   and  her  care  ! 
And  welcomes  the  visions  that  day  after  dav 
With   baby's  sweet   presence   will   nestle   and   stav. 


H  Grandmas    Memories. 

"Time  passes,   my   baby  has  suddenly   flown, 
And   left  me   a  daughter  to   maidenhood   grown. 
As   /  did,   e'en  so  does  my  bonny   maid   do, 
And   -        -   learns   that  sweet   lesson    so    old   and   so   new 

"For   her  comes  a  day   when  the   wedding  bells  ring, 
And   my  darling  to  other  than   'mother'   must   cling. 

'  Like  mother,   like  daughter,'   '  like  father,   like   son,' 
' Tis  an   adage  will   live  till   all   living  be   done." 

Grandma  pauses  a  moment.      Her  listener  cries, 
With   a  sweet  look  of  sympathy  in   her  young  eyes  : 
"And  then   you   were   lonely,   poor  Grandma!    I   know, 
But  so  was — my  great  grandmama,  long  ago." 

A  smile   lights  the  dear,  aged  face,  and  again 
Grandma  takes  up  her  story.     "  Yes,  dearie,   but  then 
It   wasn't  for  long,   because,  darling,   you  see, 
A  gift  /  once  gave   was  soon   given   to   me. 


"Learns  lhat  sweet  lesson  so  old  and  so  new" 


Grandmas     Memories. 

"The  gift  of  a  grandchild   as  fair  and   as  sweet 
As  the  baby  my  mother's  heart  bounded  to   meet  ; 
Oh,   how   my  fond   prayers   'rose   in  gratitude   true, 
For  the   blessings  of  daughter  and   granddaughter  too. 

"It  seems   but   to-day!     Oh,   how   proud   am   I   now 
As   I   lay  welcome   kisses   on  baby's  wee   brow  ! 
A    Grandmother,   I?    How   the  bright  years   have   flown 
Since   I   was  a  child  scarce  to  maidenhood  grown  I 

"And   now  in   my   arms,   looking  up  in   my   eyes, 
With  orbs  that  are   bluer  than   June's   sunny  skies, 
Behold   my  own   grandchild  !     Ah,   verily,   youth 

'On  double  wings  flies,'  Grandpa  says   in  good  truth, 

» 
"As  he  looks  in  my  face  where  no   longer  the  rose 

In  my  once  dimpled  cheeks  in  its  loveliness  grows, 
And   marks  the   white   locks  mingling  faster  each   dav 
With   the   brown   that   old   Time   is   fast  stealing  awav. 


"As  he  looks  in  mv  face" 


Grandma  s    Memories.  yj 

"  And   I,  as  he  kisses  our  grandchild  so   fair, 
Note  how  soon  has  vanished  the   once  raven  hair 
That  crowned  his  dear  head  on  the  day  when  he  came 
To   endow  me  with    all   his  possessions  and  name. 

"So  we   grow  old  together,   my  husband   and   I, 
Walking  steadily  on  'neath   life's  changeable  sky, 
As  'Grandpa'   and   'Grandma'  to  little  ones  dear, 
Who  come  round  our  hearthstone  with  comfort  and   cheer. 

"And  dearly   I   love  the  wee  darlings  to   hold, 
And   cuddle,   and   close  to  my  warm   heart  enfold 
The  dear  precious  forms,  singing  low  o'er  and  o'er, 
The   lullaby  song  I   have  sung  long  before. 

"The  song  which  has  sung  their  own  mother  to  rest, 
The  song  which  hushed   -me  on   my  dear  mother's   breast, 
The  song  which   belongs  to  the  years   long  gone  past, 
But  which  mother-\QVQ  thro'   all  time  will  hold  fast. 


?«/  Grandmas     Memories. 

"And  now  comes  a  day  when  another  fair  bride 
From  babyhood  grown,  stands  so  proudly  beside 
The  man  of  her  choice  ;    and  her  sweet  eyes  of  blue 
Are  glowing  with   happiness  tender  and  true. 

"Within  Grandma's  arms  for  a  moment  she  stands, 
Then  bows  her  bright  head  'neath  the  trembling  old  hands 
Uplifted  to  bless  her,   as  Grandma's  heart  prays 
That  heaven  may  keep  her^  thro'  long  sunny  days. 

"To  father  and  mother  sweet  kisses  of  love, 
And  prayers  that  God  send  truest  peace  from   above  ; 
Thus  'mid  the  farewells  that  are  merry,  yet  sad, 
My  grandchild  has  entered   her  new  life  so  glad. 

*  *  »  » 

"And  lo  !    on  this   night  while  old  Grandma  is  sitting 
Alone  in  the  gloaming,  while  moments  are  flitting 
And  bearing  on  wings  that  are  sure  and  so  fast 
The  year  that   now   is,   to  the  years  that   are   past— 


"'Mid  the  farewells  that  are  merry  yet  sad 


Grandma  '.v    Memories.  J7 

"A  sweet  voice  comes  softly  within  my  lone  room, 
And  sweet  words  float  tenderly  in  thro'  the  gloom, 
As  sings  my  dear  grandchild  so  gently  and  low, 
To  my  little  ^'^/-grandchild  the   '  lullabv-O.' 

'Which,   catching  my  senses  as  idly  they  stray 

On  the  pinions  of  memory,  bears  me  away 

To  the  far-distant  realms  of  my  own  childhood's  shore, 

Where  the  quaint  old-time  melody  greets  me  once  more. 

''Aye  !    dearie,   'tis  hard  when  one's  memory  is  straying— 
And  back  'mongst  the  old  scenes  so  fondlv  delaying— 

o  j  j          Cj 

Tis  hard  to  wake  up  to  the  fact  that  old  age 

In  life's  book  of  years  will  soon  turn  the  last  page. 

''Yet,  dearie,   I  look  on  your  young,  happy  face, 
All  tender  with  motherhood's  newly-taught  grace, 
And  realize,  indeed,  that  Time  steadily  flies, 
Nor  lingers  to  dally  'neath  youth's  joyous  skies. 


"On   Grandma  s  thin   cluck  falls    a  kiss" 


Grandma  s    Memories. 

''  Hut  speed  as  he  may,  be  it  never  so  fast, 
The  thoughts  which  go  winging  their  way  to  the   Past 
Are  swifter  than  Time,  as  you'll  learn  on  some  day 
When  you,  like  your  Grandma,  are  wrinkled  and  grey." 

On  Grandma's  thin  cheek  falls  a  kiss  soft  and  sweet, 
Ere  the  young  mother  hastens  with  step  all  so  fleet, 
To  quiet  her  baby,  whose  startled  grieved    cry 
Can  only  be  hushed  with  the  old  lullaby— 


n.£ 

/  1= 

(*T  -  -  — ->-.^_* — |_.-gi —  —c 


Hush,       inv  babe.       lie-  still       and  slum   -   ber. 


J  l<>    -     \\   .   .          an     -    gels  guard        thy  bed.'' 

Crooning  it  softly,   and   crooning  it  low, 
Till  again  into  slumber-land  baby  will  go, 
While  Grandma  still  sits  in  the  shadowy  room 
And  smiles  as  the  lullabv  floats  thro'   the  gloom. 


/o  Grandma 's    Memories. 

Now,  as  she  sits  thinking  and  smiling  the  while, 
Behold  !    Grandpa  enters,  and  answering  her  smile 
(Which  even  the  gloom  from  his  eyes  cannot  hide), 
Draws  near  the  old  chair,  and  sits  close  at  her  side. 

Their  hands  steal  together  ;  dear  hands,  which  have   clung 
Thro'  weal  and  thro'  woe  from  the  years  which  were  young 
Till  now,  when  by  age  made  unsteady  and  weak, 
They  yet  tell  the  love  which  e'en  lips  may  not  speak. 

"Dear  heart!"   murmurs  Grandpa,   "I'm  thinking  to-night— 
As  I  look  at  the  heavens  with  starlight  so  bright— 
And  note  how  the  moments  so  surely  and  fast, 
Will  bring  us  the  close  of  the  year  almost  past— 

"I'm  thinking  how  like  to  old  age  it  does  seem, 
And  how  o'er  life's  evening  for  you  and  me  gleam 
The  stars  of  God's  mercies,  to  guide  on  their  wav 
The  souls  which  are  speeding  towards  heaven's  glad   dav." 


Grandma  s    Memories. 

"Ay,   John,"   answers  Grandma,   "like  children  are  we 
In  the   'arms  everlasting'  just  longing  to  be; 
Full  soon  you  and   I  will  be  summoned  to  rest. 
And  close  tired  eves  on  the  dear  Father's  breast." 


i  Grandma  s    Memories. 

Still  softly   and  sweetly  from   out  the  next  room  — 
Still  floating   and  lingering  'mid  shadow  and  gloom 
The  sound  of  the  soft  murmured   "lullaby-O!" 
Is  heard,   while  the  mother  sings  gently  and    low- 


0 


Hush,        my  babe,       lie          still       and  slum    -   bc-r, 


rrrrtz-    L.J.. 


=^p     —^      EE^EEjE 

~— L ^^^  *~       ^^=^^-      ~~i       ^ ;       1 1 

lo          \\   .   .          an    -    gels  guard       thy  bed." 

And  Grandpa  and  Grandma  draw  nearer  together, 
And  on  Grandpa's  shoulder  lies  Grandma's  grey  head, 

As  closely  he  holds  to  his  fond  aged  heart 
The  wife  from  whose  love  he  holds  no  thought   apart. 
And  so,  while  their  fancies  to  auld   lang  syne  cling, 
They  lift  their  old  voices,  and  quaveringly  sing 

Way  thro'  to  its  end  the  dear  lullaby  song, 
So  dear  to  them  both  for  the  years  long  agone, 


Grandma  s    Memories. 

And  straight  from  their  hearts  doth  the  melody  flow, 
Tho'  the  tremulous  notes  are  so  faltering  and  slow. 


"Hush,   my    babe,   lie       still  and        slum -her,       Ho  -  ly 


an  -  gels       guard    thy        bed;     Heaven- ly..    bless  -  ings 

I! 

\vith-out       number     Gen  -  tly       fall    up    -  on       thy    head." 


And  now  the  sweet  music  hath  reached  other  ears  ; 
The  baby's  young  mother  the  lullaby  hears, 
And,  beckoning  her  mother,   they  presently  stand 
Within  the  dim  doorway,  and  hand  clasping  hand  — 


They  listen  and  smile — yet  with  tears  in  their  eyes— 
To  the  soft  notes  which  out  from  the  shadows  arise 
From  the  hearts  that  old  Time  with  his  years  and  his  snow 
Could   not  rob  of  the  sunshine   of  long,   long  ago. 


Grandmds    Memories, 

The  clock  is  still  ticking  the  moments  away  ; 

'Tis  but  a  short  time  ere  the  old  King  must  lay 

His  sceptre,  his  crown,   and  his  burdens  aside. 

That  the  new  King  may  come  with  the  world  to  abide. 

And  still  the  old  grandparents  quietly  sit, 
Unmindful  of  moments,  tho'  fast  they  may  flit 
Towards  the  hour  of  midnight,  till   gently  at  last 
Their  daughter  reminds  them  that  "bedtime  is  past." 

"Ay,   daughter,1'  says  Grandma,   "'tis  late  without  doubt, 
But  father  and  I'll  see  this  dear  old  year  out ; 
It  has  been  a  kind  year,  fraught  with  peace  from  above, 
And  it  brought  us  a  dear  great-grandbaby  to  love. 

"It  has  borne  us  thro'   duties,  or  sorry  or  glad, 
And  helped  us  find  balm  when  our  spirits  were  sad  ; 
It  found  us  together  in  health  and  in  peace, 
And  leaves  us  together  tho'   its  own  life  must  cease. 


dandmcis   Memories. 


'And  so  we  will   watch   it  fade  softlv   from   earth, 
And  welcome  the  New  Year  to  which  God  gives  birth, 
And  may  the  dear  Lord  who  for  our  sakes  was  born, 
Send  blessings  anew  on  the   New  Year's  glad  morn." 


Now  hark  !    for  the  bells  in  the  old  tower's  steeple 
King  out  with  a  clang  to  the  world  and  its  people  ; 
And  merrily  sounding  afar  and  an  ear, 
Proclaim   the  glad  tidings,   "  The   New  Year  is  here  !  " 


5  Grandmas    Memories. 

And  from  other  steeples  the  noise  is  resounding, 
As  jubilant  bells  the  same  story  are  sounding  ; 
And  so  'mid  the  clanging,  the  poor  old  vear  dies, 
And  the  new  youthful  year  opens  wondering  eyes 

And  so  docs  the  baby  !     So  frightened  is  he, 
His  shrill  cry  rings  out  with  the  bells'  jubilee, 
And  quick  to  his  side  the  young  mother  has  sped, 
To  bend  o'er  her  baby's  her  own  golden  head. 

While  Grandpa  and  Grandma  are  listening  to  hear, 

'Mid  the  clanging  of  bells,  the  young  voice  sweet  and  clear, 

Which  tenderly  lays  on  the  New   Year  the  song 

Of  the  dear  "  Old-time  lullaby  "  cherished  so  long. 

So  softly  it  floats  thro    the  shadowy  gloom 
Which  tenderly  broods  o'er  the  old  fashioned   room, 
Where  Grandma  and  Grandpa,  while  steeple  bells  ring, 
Again  lift  their  tremulous  voices  and  sing— 


Grandma  s    Memories. 


••flush,   my    babe,   lie       still   and        slum -her.       \lo-\y 


'-0-L-m */ 


an  -  gels        guard     thy         bed  ;      Heaven-ly  .  .    bless  -  ings 

'—&-•=£ -\-~~JE;  — L^z&zfsESEi^t^   ~& 

\vith-out        number     Gen  -  tlv       fall    up    -  on       thy    head." 


CRADLE     HYMN. 

By  Isaac    Watts,  D.D. 

HUSH,  my  dear!     Lie  still,  and  slumber! 

Holy  angels  guard  thy  bed ! 
Heavenly  blessings,  without  number, 

Gently  falling  on  thy  head. 

Sleep,  my  babe!     Thy  food  and  raiment, 
House  and  home,  thy  friends  provide ; 

All  without  thy  care  or  payment, 
All  thy  wants  are  well  supplied. 

How  much  better  thou'rt  attended 
Than  the  Son  of  God  could  be, 

When  from  heaven  He  descended, 
And  became  a  child  like  thee ! 

Soft  and  easy  is  thy  cradle  : 

Coarse  and  hard  thy  Saviour  lay, 

When  His  birth-place  was  a  stable, 
And  His  softest  bed  was  hay. 

Blessed  Babe !     What  glorious  features, — 

Spotless  fair,  divinely  bright ! 
Must  lie  dwell  with  brutal  creatures  ? 

1  low  could  angels  bear  the  si^ht  ? 


Was  there  nothing  but  a  manger, 

Cursed  sinners  could  afford, 
To  receive  the  Heavenly  Stranger  ? 

Did  they  thus  affront  the  Lord  ? 

Soft,  ray  child !     I  did  not  chide  thee, 
Though  my  song  might  sound  too  hard  ; 

'Tis  thy  mother  sits  beside  thee, 
And  her  arm  shall  be  thy  guard. 

Yet  to  read  the  shameful  story, 
How  the  Jews  abused  their  King ; 

How  they  served  the  Lord  of  Glory, 
Makes  me  angry  while  I  sing. 

See  the  kinder  shepherds  round  Him, 

Telling  wonders  from  the  sky!. 
Where  they  sought  Him,  there  they  found  Him, 

With  His  Virgin-Mother  by. 

See  the  lovely  Babe  a-dressing : 

Lovely  Infant,  how  He  smiled ! 
When  He  wept,  His  Mother's  blessing 

Sooth'd  and  hush'd  the   Holy  Child. 

Lo,  He  slumbers  in  a  manger, 

Where  the  horned  oxen  fed ! 
Peace,  my  darling,  here's  no  danger  ; 

There's  no  ox  a-near  thy  bed. 


'Twas  to  save  thee,  child,  from  dying, 
Save  my  dear  from  burning  flame, 

Bitter  groans  and  endless  crying, 
That  thy  blest  Redeemer  came. 

May'st  thou  live  to  know  and  fear  Him, 
Trust  and  love  Him  all  thy  days  ; 

Then  go  dwell  for  ever  near  Him  : 
See  His  face,  and  sing  His  praise  1 

I  could  give  thee  thousand  kisses ! 

Hoping  what  I  most  desire  ; 
Not  a  mother's  fondest  wishes 

Can  to  greater  joys  aspire  1 


L%  ENVOI. 

Dear  aged  friends,  and  loved   ones   who    have  turned 

Your  faces  toward  the  glowing  sunset  sky, 
While  far  below  on  paths  that  ye  have  trod, 

Life  5  mingled  lights  and  shadows  softly  lie : 
May  Peace  be  with  you  as  you  journey  on 

To  reach  the  summit  of  life's  shadowed  hill, 
And  tho'  the  way  seem  toilsome  here  and  there, 

May  Hope  and  Faith  your  hearts  with  courage  fill. 
Bear  with  you,  as  you  go,  our  grateful  prayers 

For  your  dear  lives  by  heavenly  mercy  spared 
So  long  to  us  who  love  you,  and  with  whom 

Life's  burdens,  great  ov  small,  your  love  hath  shared. 
The  crimson  glory  of  the  sunset  sky 

Lies  all  about  you,  and  falls  gmlly  down 
Upon  your  dear,  grey  heads,  as  tho'  our  Lord 

Hath  wished  already  His  loved  saints  to  crown. 
Lift  up  your  tired  eyes  "Unto  the  hills 

Whence  cotneth  help,"  for  lo !    the  Father  stands 
To  give  you  greeting,  and  to  welcome  you — 

When  night  brings  rest — with  tender,  gracious  hands. 

M.  D.  B. 


CN*' 


